Everything we can verify about jobs, pay and living in Colorado, from official statistics, with source and date on every table.
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Colorado is in the West region (Mountain division), with 5,957,494 residents, a median age of 38.0 and a median household income of $97,113. The unemployment rate was 4.1% in 2026M09, and the state's price level is 103.1 against 100 for the US as a whole.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ | Rank among 50 states + DC ⇅ | Direction ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $97,113 | 9 of 51 | higher is better |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 31 of 51 | lower is better |
| Job openings rate | 3.3% | 46 of 51 | higher is better |
| Price level (RPP) | 103.1 | 39 of 51 | lower is better |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.8% | 3 of 51 | higher is better |
| Foreign-born share | 10.6% | 19 of 51 | higher is better |
See the 1,074 federal jobs open now →Country guide: United States250 largest cities
Neighbouring states in the Mountain division: Arizona · Idaho · Montana · Nevada · New Mexico · Utah · Wyoming.
| Industry ⇅ | GDP ($ million, annual rate) ⇅ | Share of state GDP ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 92,861 | 15.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 68,283 | 11.5% |
| Government and government enterprises | 65,554 | 11.0% |
| Information | 38,446 | 6.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 38,194 | 6.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 35,184 | 5.9% |
| Construction | 32,910 | 5.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 32,729 | 5.5% |
| Retail trade | 32,237 | 5.4% |
| Manufacturing | 30,610 | 5.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 21,613 | 3.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 20,222 | 3.4% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 19,441 | 3.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 16,379 | 2.8% |
| Other services (except government and government enterprises) | 13,453 | 2.3% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 11,194 | 1.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 9,036 | 1.5% |
| Utilities | 6,543 | 1.1% |
| Educational services | 4,877 | 0.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3,520 | 0.6% |
| Sector ⇅ | Jobs (payroll) ⇅ | Change in 12 months ⇅ | Month ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mining and logging | 20,200 | -1.5% | 2026M09 |
| Construction | 193,600 | +3.8% | 2026M09 |
| Manufacturing | 143,900 | -1.4% | 2026M09 |
| Trade, transportation and utilities | 496,000 | -0.5% | 2026M09 |
| Information | 65,700 | -4.8% | 2026M09 |
| Financial activities | 174,900 | -2.2% | 2026M09 |
| Professional and business services | 492,800 | +0.9% | 2026M09 |
| Education and health services | 414,400 | +3.8% | 2026M09 |
| Leisure and hospitality | 358,700 | +2.3% | 2026M09 |
| Other services | 130,300 | -0.5% | 2026M09 |
| Government | 487,400 | -1.2% | 2026M09 |
BEA values are seasonally adjusted annual rates averaged over the latest four quarters. BLS payroll counts are not seasonally adjusted. The state total of jobs is 2,977,900 (latest month).
| Occupation field ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Per 1,000 jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office and Administrative Support | 301,320 | 104.8 | 0.92 | $51,050 | $37,480 | $79,300 | +8% |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | 269,820 | 93.9 | 1.07 | $37,810 | $31,140 | $62,250 | +8% |
| Transportation and Material Moving | 217,920 | 75.8 | 0.86 | $47,060 | $36,610 | $78,000 | +6% |
| Sales and Related | 296,260 | 103.1 | 1.19 | $47,440 | $34,530 | $122,400 | +23% |
| Management | 157,850 | 54.9 | 0.77 | $149,760 | $78,620 | $276,070 | +18% |
| Business and Financial Operations | 264,100 | 91.9 | 1.36 | $93,410 | $54,590 | $160,260 | +13% |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | 154,720 | 53.8 | 0.85 | $98,030 | $49,860 | $166,730 | +13% |
| Educational Instruction and Library | 155,440 | 54.1 | 0.92 | $62,170 | $35,580 | $103,270 | +3% |
| Production | 94,160 | 32.8 | 0.59 | $49,710 | $37,570 | $81,040 | +6% |
| Healthcare Support | 106,580 | 37.1 | 0.73 | $44,560 | $36,460 | $58,830 | +16% |
| Construction and Extraction | 135,410 | 47.1 | 1.14 | $61,190 | $44,760 | $96,200 | +3% |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | 113,320 | 39.4 | 1.01 | $62,570 | $42,090 | $100,130 | +5% |
| Computer and Mathematical | 136,010 | 47.3 | 1.40 | $128,090 | $66,570 | $197,020 | +17% |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | 88,630 | 30.8 | 1.05 | $42,180 | $34,850 | $60,200 | +12% |
| Protective Service | 65,970 | 23.0 | 0.95 | $56,930 | $36,320 | $106,610 | +14% |
| Personal Care and Service | 77,640 | 27.0 | 1.29 | $40,440 | $31,740 | $67,120 | +11% |
| Community and Social Service | 56,770 | 19.8 | 1.15 | $61,160 | $43,700 | $96,930 | +5% |
| Architecture and Engineering | 72,990 | 25.4 | 1.51 | $103,280 | $61,770 | $173,350 | +4% |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | 41,090 | 14.3 | 1.09 | $65,810 | $38,150 | $126,200 | +5% |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | 35,940 | 12.5 | 1.32 | $84,960 | $52,230 | $159,540 | +3% |
| Legal | 26,740 | 9.3 | 1.11 | $119,510 | $61,530 | $315,790 | +17% |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | 5,200 | 1.8 | 0.65 | $40,190 | $33,400 | $64,780 | +10% |
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 16.2% |
| Retail trade | 9.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.1% |
| Construction | 7.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.7% |
| Manufacturing | 6.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.2% |
| Public administration | 5.2% |
| Other services | 5.0% |
| Information | 2.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.7% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 5,830 | 3.05 | $307,490 | $189,150 | $377,860 | +32% |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,990 | 0.31 | $298,320 | $171,810 | $418,690 | +12% |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 2,700 | 1.36 | $265,560 | $75,120 | $365,820 | +9% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 11,510 | 0.93 | $199,420 | $130,570 | $293,250 | +14% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 4,900 | 1.20 | $183,810 | $135,380 | $272,950 | +7% |
| Marketing Managers | 6,010 | 0.82 | $182,730 | $121,560 | $289,870 | +10% |
| Financial Managers | 10,640 | 0.68 | $182,690 | $123,900 | $339,290 | +10% |
| Sales Managers | 8,780 | 0.75 | $180,850 | $105,270 | $316,830 | +22% |
| Petroleum Engineers | 1,390 | 4.16 | $172,190 | $92,590 | $264,960 | +19% |
| Purchasing Managers | 1,320 | 0.85 | $171,250 | $122,790 | $247,610 | +16% |
| Managers, All Other | 14,060 | 1.22 | $171,140 | $105,020 | $280,950 | +21% |
| Lawyers | 16,720 | 1.20 | $168,520 | $83,350 | $336,970 | +6% |
| Human Resources Managers | 3,620 | 0.89 | $166,400 | $103,580 | $276,380 | +11% |
| Dentists, General | 2,940 | 1.28 | $166,240 | $84,590 | $229,070 | -3% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 2,340 | 0.48 | $157,000 | $101,480 | $230,770 | +38% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 4,070 | 3.25 | $156,190 | $101,970 | $210,410 | +16% |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 2,660 | 1.87 | $156,080 | $100,050 | $222,220 | -3% |
| Pharmacists | 4,560 | 0.77 | $156,030 | $120,410 | $188,430 | +11% |
| Database Architects | 1,950 | 1.57 | $154,560 | $88,000 | $195,510 | +11% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 1,640 | 0.82 | $152,730 | $89,900 | $289,970 | -9% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 1,730 | 0.38 | $141,020 | $86,460 | $230,410 | +12% |
| Sales Engineers | 2,800 | 2.93 | $139,990 | $83,420 | $203,230 | +12% |
| Commercial Pilots | 1,240 | 1.40 | $139,680 | $59,780 | $269,630 | +13% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 11,800 | 1.47 | $139,580 | $76,140 | $170,800 | +20% |
| Computer Network Architects | 16,380 | 4.93 | $139,230 | $94,920 | $206,600 | +4% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | 1,150 | 6.22 | $104,670 | $76,110 | $165,500 | +6% |
| Information and Record Clerks, All Other | 13,960 | 5.60 | $52,600 | $40,590 | $75,020 | +6% |
| Computer Network Architects | 16,380 | 4.93 | $139,230 | $94,920 | $206,600 | +4% |
| Cartographers and Photogrammetrists | 1,220 | 4.61 | $86,960 | $61,060 | $130,310 | +7% |
| Petroleum Engineers | 1,390 | 4.16 | $172,190 | $92,590 | $264,960 | +19% |
| Plant and System Operators, All Other | 1,050 | 4.02 | $51,600 | $40,930 | $81,040 | -17% |
| Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other | 3,430 | 3.96 | $39,190 | $33,840 | $55,920 | +5% |
| Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials | 1,120 | 3.84 | $44,230 | $32,790 | $68,420 | +9% |
| Real Estate Brokers | 3,280 | 3.84 | $79,970 | $44,320 | $135,200 | +9% |
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | 6,340 | 3.68 | $60,670 | $39,110 | $103,940 | +26% |
| Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | 2,930 | 3.68 | $60,290 | $46,490 | $109,290 | +4% |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | 1,480 | 3.42 | $114,410 | $70,410 | $210,090 | +12% |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 6,080 | 3.39 | $127,010 | $84,510 | $191,140 | -2% |
| Financial Clerks, All Other | 2,220 | 3.31 | $59,990 | $43,730 | $76,600 | +11% |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | 6,540 | 3.28 | $55,490 | $40,210 | $86,080 | -2% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 4,070 | 3.25 | $156,190 | $101,970 | $210,410 | +16% |
| Protective Service Workers, All Other | 4,640 | 3.08 | $44,340 | $36,640 | $68,230 | +4% |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 5,830 | 3.05 | $307,490 | $189,150 | $377,860 | +32% |
| Sales Engineers | 2,800 | 2.93 | $139,990 | $83,420 | $203,230 | +12% |
| Flight Attendants | 7,110 | 2.92 | $59,500 | $31,510 | $95,640 | -6% |
| Physicists | 1,050 | 2.77 | $104,580 | $82,340 | $210,950 | -39% |
| Conservation Scientists | 1,230 | 2.57 | $84,820 | $57,710 | $134,350 | +16% |
| Court, Municipal, and License Clerks | 7,920 | 2.39 | $50,410 | $34,950 | $68,900 | +4% |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | 2,000 | 2.31 | $66,660 | $45,220 | $146,990 | -8% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 45,670 | 2.27 | $92,520 | $55,850 | $153,830 | +11% |
Occupations with a page of their own link to it. Pay above $239,200 a year is shown as "≥ $239,200" (BLS top-code). "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure.
There are 1,074 federal job postings open now in Colorado (USAJOBS). This is the federal government only: most US jobs are in the private sector and are advertised on employers' own sites, so use the pay and demand tables on this page for the whole labour market.
| Agency ⇅ | Open postings ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Forest Service | 145 |
| Department of the Air Force Headquarters | 134 |
| Veterans Health Administration | 118 |
| Federal Aviation Administration | 64 |
| Immigration and Customs Enforcement | 38 |
| United States Space Force | 36 |
| Air Force Civilian Career Training | 35 |
| Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System | 33 |
| Military Treatment Facilities under DHA | 25 |
| Farm Service Agency | 23 |
| U.S. Air Force Academy | 19 |
| Offices, Boards and Divisions | 17 |
| National Park Service | 17 |
| Internal Revenue Service | 15 |
| Indian Health Service | 14 |
| Series ⇅ | Open postings ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Wildland Fire Management | 72 |
| Attorney | 52 |
| Miscellaneous Administration And Program | 36 |
| Information Technology Management | 34 |
| Forestry Technician | 32 |
| Medical Officer | 31 |
| Management And Program Analysis | 31 |
| Aviation Safety | 21 |
| Nurse | 19 |
| Social Work | 17 |
| Human Resources Management | 17 |
| Program Management | 17 |
| General Business And Industry | 17 |
| Contracting | 16 |
| Criminal Investigation | 16 |
Median starting salary in postings that list a yearly range: $75,284 (821 postings).
7 of the 250 largest US cities are in Colorado.
| City ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ | Unemployment (ACS) ⇅ | Bachelor's+ ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 729,019 | $92,504 | $1,870 | 4.3% | 58.6% |
| Colorado Springs | 493,540 | $83,672 | $1,699 | 5.3% | 44.4% |
| Aurora | 402,452 | $93,837 | $1,932 | 5.8% | 37.2% |
| Fort Collins | 170,229 | $85,070 | $1,690 | 5.4% | 60.7% |
| Lakewood | 156,583 | $89,792 | $1,806 | 4.5% | 45.3% |
| Thornton | 144,187 | $103,088 | $1,895 | 4.5% | 32.8% |
| Arvada | 122,634 | $117,348 | $1,888 | 3.8% | 51.5% |
Click a state or a city. States: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming.
The median wage in Colorado is $59,800 a year ($28.75 an hour) against $50,980 nationally (+17%). The 10th percentile earns $36,350 and the 90th $136,330.
| Occupation field ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Per 1,000 jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office and Administrative Support | 301,320 | 104.8 | 0.92 | $51,050 | $37,480 | $79,300 | +8% |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | 269,820 | 93.9 | 1.07 | $37,810 | $31,140 | $62,250 | +8% |
| Transportation and Material Moving | 217,920 | 75.8 | 0.86 | $47,060 | $36,610 | $78,000 | +6% |
| Sales and Related | 296,260 | 103.1 | 1.19 | $47,440 | $34,530 | $122,400 | +23% |
| Management | 157,850 | 54.9 | 0.77 | $149,760 | $78,620 | $276,070 | +18% |
| Business and Financial Operations | 264,100 | 91.9 | 1.36 | $93,410 | $54,590 | $160,260 | +13% |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | 154,720 | 53.8 | 0.85 | $98,030 | $49,860 | $166,730 | +13% |
| Educational Instruction and Library | 155,440 | 54.1 | 0.92 | $62,170 | $35,580 | $103,270 | +3% |
| Production | 94,160 | 32.8 | 0.59 | $49,710 | $37,570 | $81,040 | +6% |
| Healthcare Support | 106,580 | 37.1 | 0.73 | $44,560 | $36,460 | $58,830 | +16% |
| Construction and Extraction | 135,410 | 47.1 | 1.14 | $61,190 | $44,760 | $96,200 | +3% |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | 113,320 | 39.4 | 1.01 | $62,570 | $42,090 | $100,130 | +5% |
| Computer and Mathematical | 136,010 | 47.3 | 1.40 | $128,090 | $66,570 | $197,020 | +17% |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | 88,630 | 30.8 | 1.05 | $42,180 | $34,850 | $60,200 | +12% |
| Protective Service | 65,970 | 23.0 | 0.95 | $56,930 | $36,320 | $106,610 | +14% |
| Personal Care and Service | 77,640 | 27.0 | 1.29 | $40,440 | $31,740 | $67,120 | +11% |
| Community and Social Service | 56,770 | 19.8 | 1.15 | $61,160 | $43,700 | $96,930 | +5% |
| Architecture and Engineering | 72,990 | 25.4 | 1.51 | $103,280 | $61,770 | $173,350 | +4% |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | 41,090 | 14.3 | 1.09 | $65,810 | $38,150 | $126,200 | +5% |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | 35,940 | 12.5 | 1.32 | $84,960 | $52,230 | $159,540 | +3% |
| Legal | 26,740 | 9.3 | 1.11 | $119,510 | $61,530 | $315,790 | +17% |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | 5,200 | 1.8 | 0.65 | $40,190 | $33,400 | $64,780 | +10% |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
| Rule ⇅ | In Colorado ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage (per hour) | $15.16 (federal minimum is $7.25; the higher applies for most workers) |
| State income tax on wages | Flat 4.40% |
| Right-to-work state | No |
| State paid family and medical leave program | Yes |
| Employment | At-will in most states (either side can end the job with notice, with legal exceptions) |
Nationwide rules (overtime after 40 hours, family leave, discrimination, visas) are on the country guide. Many cities and counties set higher minimum wages or paid sick leave; check the local government. Confirm all figures with the official sources before acting.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Price level, all items (US = 100) | 103.1 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,822 |
| Median home value | $574,600 |
| Homeowners (share of households) | 65.9% |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% |
| Drive alone to work | 65.4% |
| Public transit to work | 1.7% |
| Work from home | 19.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 15.0% |
Regional price parities measure how much it costs to buy the same basket of goods and services: 100 is the national average.
10.6% of residents of Colorado were born abroad (628,516 people).
| Country of birth ⇅ | Residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Mexico | 213,766 |
| India | 23,399 |
| China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan | 18,028 |
| Vietnam | 16,174 |
| Canada | 15,395 |
| Korea | 15,251 |
| Germany | 13,931 |
| Philippines | 12,345 |
| Ethiopia | 10,830 |
| Venezuela | 10,622 |
| El Salvador | 10,281 |
| Guatemala | 8,665 |
| Colombia | 8,536 |
| Russia | 7,841 |
| England | 7,398 |
Work permits and visas are federal. See permits and first steps and, for your country, Working in the US from your country.
$15.16 (the federal minimum is $7.25; the higher rate applies for most workers). Source: US Department of Labor.
Flat 4.40% (Tax Foundation, rates as of 01/01/2026).
4.1% in 2026M09 (BLS, seasonally adjusted).
$97,113 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024, 2024 dollars).
1,074 postings on USAJOBS today. Private-sector jobs are not included.